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Abstract
This paper analyzes how education and other demographic characteristics are associated with the level of happiness in two geographical regions: the North Central Region and the Northeast Region. Using cross-sectional data from two regional datasets, NCR-Stat: Caregiving Survey and NER-Stat: Caregiving Survey, potential disparities between the regions in the impact of education on happiness are examined. The results suggest that education has direct and indirect (through income) effects on happiness. The direct effect shows that respondents with higher education are more likely to report higher levels of happiness in both regions but at different rates. Location and other demographic characteristics influence an individual’s happiness and reduce the direct effect and significance of education, although differently, in both regions. Income might contribute more to happiness levels in both regions than education. However, regional disparities were identified as education lost its explanatory power of happiness only in the NCR.